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Sewer Passes NOTE: Sussex Beat is a mix of news, analysis and commentary by Eric Magill, publisher of Sussex County Online.
The Oak Orchard central sewer district referendum proved to be as controversial at the voting booth and it was in the debates leading up to the referendum. On Saturday, Dec. 11, 1999, Oak Orchard residents voted 211-210 to approve the $7.7 million project that will cost average taxpayers $1,100 to hook up to and $750 a year in tax increases. Absentee ballots pushed the referendum over the top with a 44-18 margin in favor of the sewer district. At the polls themselves, the margin was 192-167 against the referendum. The sewer system is expected to be online by March 2003. Residents who opposed the sewer cited its high cost and said it exceeded federal government formulas for affordability. They also said they preferred to wait until federal grants could be obtained that would lower the cost for taxpayers. County officials say they expect to be able to obtain those grants and lower the cost of the system to Oak Orchard residents.
Dewey Beach Town Commissioners voted to impose moratoriums on building permits of 90 days on multi-family dwellings and townhouses and 180 days on hotels and motels at a public hearing on Saturday, Dec. 11, 1999. Commissioners said the moratoriums were needed to give the town a chance to complete the overhaul of its comprehensive land use plan, which is expected to be completed in 2000. About 40 people attended the hearing before the commissioners' regular monthly meeting. Commissioners originally voted for the moratorium at last month's meeting but had to rescind the vote due to legal concerns over how that hearing was advertised. Commissioners have been told that at its current pace, the town could grow so fast that it couldn't provide adequate police protection or other services without better planning.
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If you're looking for medical information on the Internet, a good place for basic information about medical topics is Drkoop.com, a site led by former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop. In addition to reference material on more than 60 conditions, the site also provides breaking medical news and a dozen medical forums broken down by topic. You can search the site by symptom or by illness or disease. Local News Index | News Index |
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